ECONOMY
Italian Councıl of State OKs TAP pıpelıne
Baku, March 28, AZERTAC
The Italian Council of State greenlit the TransAdriatic Pipeline (TAP), rejecting appeals from the Puglia regional government, according to ANSA agency. The Council of State ruled that the TAP project had provided sufficient details on the environmental impact of the project. TAP aims to bring Caspian natural gas to Europe. Puglian olive groves have been recently uprooted to make way for the pipeline, sparking 'No TAP' protests.
The Council of State is Italy's top administrative court, arbitrating cases concerning the State administration and the government.
TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The approximately 878 km long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before reaching Southern Italy. TAP will be 878 kilometres in length (Greece 550 km; Albania 215 km; Adriatic Sea 105 km; Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 metres in Albania's mountains, while its lowest will be 820 metres beneath the sea.
TAP's routing can facilitate gas supply to several South Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and others. TAP's landfall in Italy provides multiple opportunities for further transport of Caspian natural gas to some of the largest European markets such as Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland and Austria.
TAP will promote the economic development and job creation along the pipeline route; it will be a major source of foreign direct investment. With first gas sales to Georgia and Turkey targeted for late 2018, first deliveries to Europe will follow approximately in early 2020.
TAP's shareholding is comprised of BP (20%), SOCAR (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).